Montana Territorial Centennial Commission Records, 1960-1966

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana Territorial Centennial Commission
Title
Montana Territorial Centennial Commission Records
Dates
1960-1966 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
RS 74
Summary
These Montana Territorial Centennial Commission records (1960-1968) include interoffice correspondence, general correspondence, financial records, legal documents, minutes, news releases, organizational materials, printed materials, reports, subject files, and miscellany.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana Territorial Centennial Commission was created as a special department of the Montana state government by the legislature in 1961 for "the sole purpose of providing a dignified, significant celebration during the full year of 1964 commemorating creation of the territory as well as honoring 75 years of statehood by and for the people of Montana." The Commission was composed of an executive committee which included Governor Tim Babcock; L.W. Upshaw of Great Falls as chairman; Ted Mannix of Deer Lodge as vice chairman; Michael Kennedy, director of the Montana Historical Society, as secretary; Robert D. Corette of Butte; Lyle Downing of Helena; Howard Kelsey of Gallatin Gateway; Lloyd G. Schermer of Missoula; and others. The Commission, a non-profit organization, created a "master plan" for the centennial year and presented it to the legislature in 1963 requesting funds to finance the program. An appropriation of $200,000 was approved for the state-wide celebration. In addition, a campaign to raise funds from private sources was also instigated and a quota system established that requested each county to donate "a nickel per capita," or five cents for each resident. The Commission organized the state into 1112 major areas" for planning and coordination of state-wide events, and then encouraged other counties and communities to plan local events for their own vicinity. Several major events were organized for the centennial year. The Montana Centennial Band and a float entitled "Big Sky Country" were entered in the 1964 Tournament of Roses Parade in California to kick off the year-long celebration. A major theatrical production entitled "The Montana Story" was produced and promoted by the Rogers Company of Ohio and booked to play in cities around the state. The Montana Centennial Train, equipped with four exhibit cars, traveled through Montana in February 1964, and then in the spring journeyed to New York City where it was on display in the Montana Pavilion of the World's Fair. A Centennial Music Committee was formed, chaired by Dr. Luther Richman of Montana State University in Missoula, and was in charge of a music festival around the state, production of the Indian opera "Poia," programs of original music about Montana written by Montanans, and other musical events. A contest was held to crown Miss Montana Centennial. The Governor's Centennial Ball was held in Helena on May 26 in conjunction with a re-enactment of President Abraham Lincoln's signing the Organic Act of 1864 which created Montana Territory. In addition to events, the Commission also designed and promoted a number of commemorative products for the centennial. These included firearms (Colt .45 and .22), decals, a cookbook, plates, napkins, and place mats, coins and medallions, and an official centennial publication entitled Montana, Big Sky Country which was edited by Michael Kennedy. The Commission was also successful in having a commemorative U.S. postage stamp honoring western artist Charles M. Russell produced. The celebration for 1965, which was the seventy-fifth anniversary of Montana's statehood, was much smaller than the territorial centennial festivities. The Montana exhibit continued at the New York World's Fair, the historical exhibits from the Montana Centennial Train were shown in Europe, and another float was entered in the Tournament of Roses Parade in January 1966. The final meeting of the Montana Territorial Centennial Commission was held on April 20, 1966.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains the records of the Montana Territorial Centennial Commission including interoffice correspondence (1960-1966) between members of the executive committee and committee chairmen; general correspondence (1960-1965) arranged alphabetically; financial records (1961-1966) including budgets, price lists, tax information, inventories of merchandise, finance reports, etc.; legal documents (1962-1965); minutes of the Commission meetings (1960-1966); news releases (1963-1964); organizational materials (1960-1966) including agendas, membership lists, master plan kit, committee information, etc.; printed material which includes the Commission's Bulletin (1962-1964); reports (1962-1965) including field reports, weekly reports, status reports, advertising reports, etc.; subject files (1960-1966) arranged alphabetically by title; miscellany (1963-1964); and clippings (1960-1964). Photographs, selected printed material, tapes and records, and artifacts were transferred to the Photo Archives, Library, Archives Sound Recording Collection, and Museum respectively.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

19:2-4

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information is available upon request.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

Interoffice Correspondence Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 1-2
Miscellaneous (correspondents include Merrill G. Burlingame, L.W. Upshaw, Michael S. Kennedy, Dick Pace, Lloyd G. Schermer, Ted Mannix, Robert D. Corette)
1960-1964, 1966

General Correspondence Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 3
A-W (correspondents include Anaconda Company, Blanche and Tommy Harding, Mike Mansfield, Montana Governor, William Edgar Paxson, Rogers Company, U.S. Forest Service)
1960-1965

Financial Records Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 4
"Budget of income and expense"
1962-1965
1 / 5
"Consignment lists and inventories"
1964-1966
1 / 6
"County quotas" (statewide finance campaign based on county population)
1961-1962
1 / 7
"Finance reports" (includes balance sheets, cash statements, accounts payable and receivable, etc.)
1962-1966
1 / 8
Lists of claims; check register
1963, undated
1 / 9
"Office equipment information and inventory"
1965
1 / 10
"Office payroll information"
1963-1965
1 / 11
Price lists
1963-1964, undated
1 / 12
Tax information
1962-1963

Legal Documents Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 13
Contract: Rogers Company
1962-1965
1 / 14
Contracts: Ashton Printing and Engraving Company, Creek's Building Maintenance
1963-1964
1 / 15
"Registration of trade-marks with Secretary of State"
1964

Minutes Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 16
"Centennial Commission minutes"
1960-1966

News Releases Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 17
Miscellaneous
1963-1964, undated

Organization Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 18
Agendas
1960-1966
1 / 19
County and area committees (general information)
1963-1964
1 / 20
"The Master Plan Kit"
undated
1 / 21
Membership lists; organizational chart
1962-1964
1 / 22
Statewide committee (general information)
1964, undated
1 / 23
Statements of objectives, purpose, and goals; suggestions for schedules, leadership, plans
undated

Photographs Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 24
List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives
undated

Printed Material Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 25
"Montana Centennial Commission Bulletin"
1962-1964
1 / 26
List of printed material transferred to the Library
undated

Reports Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 27
"A report to the Advertising Committee of the Montana State Advertising Department"
1962
1 / 28
R.H. Rockhold, "Overall activities of the Committee"
undated
1 / 29
"Report of Select Committee of the House of Representatives in the 39th Legislative Assembly of the State of Montana, appointed for the purpose of studying the expenditures and many activities of the Montana Centennial Commission"
1965
1 / 30
"Status reports" (includes reports on work of local committees)
1963-1964
1 / 31
"Weekly field reports: John Steele" (re county committees, includes correspondence)
1963-1964
1 / 32
Weekly reports; three-quarters reports; final report
1963-1964

Subject Files Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 33
"Air Show"
1962
1 / 34
"Attorney General's opinions" (re commission liability, etc.)
1963-1966
1 / 35
"Beard Program"
1964
1 / 36
"Brochures"
1962-1963
1 / 37
"Centennial Medallions and Souvenir Dollars"
1963-1964
1 / 38
"Centennial Music Committee" (re opera "Poia"; Centennial Music Festival; "Sleeping Giant Symphony"; "Music by Montana Composers"; etc.)
1963-1964
1 / 39
"Centennial Nuggets" (dance group)
1963-1964
1 / 40
"Centennial Seal" (re copyright, use in marketing, etc.)
1962-1964
1 / 41
"Centennial Songs and their Composers" (includes sheet music)
1964, undated
1 / 42
"Centennial Supper Club" (re sale of coupon books for dining in restaurants)
1963-1964
2 / 1
County committees: "12 Major Area Committee" (Silver Bow, Custer, Dawson, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Hill, Missoula, Toole, Valley, and Yellowstone counties)
1963-1964
2 / 2
County committees: "Other County Committees" (includes some community committees)
1962-1964
2 / 3
"County Workshop meeting, March 6-7, 1964"
1964
2 / 4
"Custer Reenactment" (re Battle of the Little Big Horn)
1964
2 / 5
"Films" (re production of "Ghost Town, Montana," "The Montana Century," NBC Lewis and Clark Expedition film)
1962-1964
2 / 6
"First Ladies' Cookbook"
1963-1965
2 / 7
"Ford Motor Company" (re use of automobiles during Centennial)
1963
2 / 8
"Guns" (re special edition commemorative guns)
1963-1964
2 / 9
Helena Centennial Commission (includes information on Centennial Ball and reenactment of the signing of the Organic Act)
1963-1964
2 / 10
"Insurance"
1963-1964
2 / 11
"Legislation" (creation of Commission, etc.)
1963-1965
2 / 12
"Montana American Legion Centennial Historical Spectacle"
1963
2 / 13
"Montana Centennial Band"
1963-1964
2 / 14
"Montana Centennial Party"
1964
2 / 15-16
"Montana Centennial Train" (includes correspondence, financial reports, minutes, bulletins, inventories)
1961-1968
2 / 17
"Montana Program" (Montana the Big Sky Country," official centennial program and guide; includes biographical information on Commission members)
1963-1966
2 / 18
"The Montana Story" (centennial production)
1963-1965
2 / 19
"Montana Territorial Centennial Fund" (fund-raising campaign)
1961-1962
2 / 20
"New York World's Fair" (re Montana's exhibit)
1963-1964
2 / 21
"Novelties: miscellaneous" (re decals, banners, plates, hats, ties, Russell coloring kit, mustache cups, place mats, napkins, ashtrays, key chains, street decorations, costumes, etc.)
1963-1965
2 / 22
"Oil company participation" (re promotional sales of plates, decals, coloring kits; serving as "Official information station", etc.)
1963-1964
2 / 23
"Poems"
1963-1964
2 / 24
"Publicity" (includes centennial press kit)
1963-1964
2 / 25
"Queens" (re "Miss Montana Centennial" contest and Montana's entry in "Miss America Pageant")
1964
2 / 26
"Russell stamp" (Charles M. Russell commemorative stamp)
1963-1964
2 / 27
"School project" (re centennial school education kit)
1963
2 / 28
"Tournament of Roses" (re Montana's float for parade)
1962-1966
2 / 29
L.W. Upshaw (re lobbying license, speaking engagements, biographical sketch)
1962-1963

Miscellany Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 30
"Certificate for Distinguished Service"
1964
2 / 31
Letterhead, envelopes, forms
undated
2 / 32
List of artifacts transferred to the Museum
undated
2 / 33
List of tapes and records transferred to the Archives Sound Recording Collection
undated
2 / 34
Mailing lists
1963, undated
2 / 35
Restoration of Original Governor's Mansion pamphlet
undated
2 / 36
Schedule of events
1963-1964

Clippings Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 37
Miscellaneous
1960-1964, undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Centennial celebrations
  • Montana Territorial Centennial